Nine Natural Remedies You'll Find Right Under Your Nose!

The majority of spices we find in our kitchen are carminatives, meaning they aid in digestion and relieve or prevent gas. Some like Cayenne, Cinnamon, and Ginger combat coldness, while others are useful for fighting nervousness and spasms. Our kitchen spice rack can serve as a healthy alternative to synthetic medications, in fact they can be used to treat problems ranging from minor afflictions like headache or diarrhea to major ailments such as acute infections, even heart attacks.

Anise is an excellent herb to use for hard, dry coughs when the expulsion of mucus is difficult. It is best administered by making a tea by pouring one cup of boiling water over 3 teaspoonfuls of crushed seeds. Allow the tea to steep for 20 minutes so that the essential oils are activated, then sweeten it with a bit of honey.

The seeds are sometimes smoked to relieve congestion (not recommended unless performed under the guidance of an experienced and qualified natural healer0 or added to a natural cough formula.

Besides making an awesome Caprese Salad, Basil can be used as a tea to combat fevers, colds, flu, cramps, headaches, indigestion, nausea, nervousness, vomiting, and constipation. The tea must be made in medicinal the standard medicinal quantity which is one ounce of the herb to one pint of water. The tea is simmered for twenty minutes, and if being used to treat fevers, add two or three black peppercorns before commencing the heating.

This is one of the most versatile natural remedies in existence, and mostly everyone has it in their kitchen arsenal. The Yogis of India consider Black Pepper to be one of nature's most powerful and perfect foods, not just as a cure-all,m but as a preventative. The pepper is taken in the form of 6 or 7 ground peppercorns taken with a spoonful of honey each morning. The combination of pepper and honey is effective in overcome cold and mucus-related diseases, and if used for treating such can be administered 4 times per day.

Cinnamon is another warming herb. It can be used to warm the organs to treat cramps, diarrhea, abdominal pains, and nourish the heart, and can serve as a balance to cooling foods such as milk, fruit, and creamy deserts. It is also effective against back pain, coughing and wheezing when used in medicinal amounts.

Bleeding from the uterus has been treated with a tincture of cinnamon administered every 15 minutes, though this should only be performed by a qualified herbal medicine practitioner. Added to milk and honey it is an excellent digestive aid, and is used by the Chinese in combination with other herbs to form a formula known as Dit Da Jow to heal bruises.

Garlic is not just for warding off Vampires, though it is effective for that. I haven't had any problems with them! Many cultures around the world hold garlic in high esteem as a cure-all and immune system booster.

Garlic's antibiotic properties make it very effective in fighting internal infections, and it is also useful for treatment of parasites, blood pressure disorders, nervous conditions, and headaches.

The most effective form of garlic is the fresh pressed juice or eaten in its raw form, as cooking or boiling destroys some of the beneficial effects. Garlic oil is also a good way to administer the herb. It is easily prepared by mincing eight ounces of garlic and placing it in a sealed jar with enough olive oil to just cover it. Allow the mixture to stand in a warm place for three days, then strain it through an unbleached cotton or muslin cloth and store it in a cool place.

One teaspoon of the oil can be taken every hour as treatment for fevers, colds, flu, and other infectious conditions. It is also useful as a treatment for earaches - a few drops in the ear with a wad of cotton.

Ginger is a versatile herbal stimulant, being of great benefit to digestive and circulatory systems. It may be taken alone as a thin slice or minced, or as a tea. Ginger tea is easy to make. Simply grate an ounce of fresh ginger and simmer it in a pint of water for 10 minutes. Ginger tea is an excellent tonic for cramps, nausea, and indigestion.

Ginger is also useful externally and can be applied topically to treat inflammation and stiffness of joints. To make a poultice to apply to the skin, simmer 5 ounces of grated ginger in two quarts of water for ten minutes. Strain the concoction and soak a cloth in the resulting water to apply to the affected area. Change the cloth and reapply as it cools, the skin should become red as circulation increases.

WARNING - Do not apply a cloth soaked in boiling water to the skin as this can cause a serious burn. Allow the water to cool a bit before soaking the cloth and applying it to the affected area.

Ginger oil can be made to use as a massage oil for relief of muscle pain. Grate an ounce or two of ginger and squeeze the juice out. Combine the juice with an equal part of sesame or olive oil and store it in a cool place until ready for use.

Rosemary is especially effective against headaches, but it is also useful for treating indigestion, nausea, colic, gas, and fevers. The high content of easily assimilable Calcium make sit a great tonic for the entire nervous system.

To make a tea, one half ounce of rosemary is added to a pint of boiled water and allowed to steep for 20 minutes. The cooled tea can also be massaged into the scalp or used as a rinse after shampooing as a hair care product.

Sage is effective in combating night sweats or excessive perspiration, as well as for clearing vaginal discharge and stopping the flow of milk. This is because of its properties as an antispasmodic and astringent (a substance that contracts the tissues or canals of the body, thereby diminishing discharges, as of mucus or blood).

It can be also used for bladder infections, sinus congestion, the early stages of cold and flu, dysentery, and inflammatory conditions. The herb is administered as a tea, made by steeping one-quarter ounce of sage in a pint of boiled water for ten minutes. The cooled tea may also be used as a mouthwash and gargle to combat sore throats and ulcerations of the mouth.

Sage should not be used for more than one week at a time, though during that week it can be taken up to three times daily. It is an effective headache formula when combined with rosemary or peppermint, using equal parts of each herb to make a tea as above, and taken every 2 hours until relief is obtained.

Thyme is an excellent anti-parasitic herb that is effective against intestinal worms. It also has antiseptic properties and is a useful expectorant when used in herbal cough formulas. Bronchial problem can be treated with a tea of thyme, steeping an ounce of the herb in boiled water for ten minutes, then strained and sweetened with honey. Those lacking appetite can also benefit from the thyme tea, though no more than one ounce per day should be taken.

The antiseptic properties of thyme make it very useful as a skin cleanser and mouthwash, and it is also known to destroy fungal infections such as athlete's foot and other skin parasites such as scabies and crabs. These conditions are best treated with a tincture of thyme; four ounces of the herb soaked in one pint of alcohol (can be grain alcohol such as vodka or rubbing alcohol), or the essential oil can be used.

These nine herbs are by no means the only kitchen spices that have healing properties. Other herbs such as:

• Cardamom
• Cloves
• Cayenne
• Bay Leaf
• Fennel
• Cumin

and many more have medicinal properties that can be used in place of synthetic medicines. Of course herbs are only a part of a balanced diet, and they should be administered medicinally only under the supervision of a trained herbalist.

The Way of Herbs by Michael Terra, Diet and Nutrition: A Holistic Approach, by Rudolph Ballantine, MD, The Yoga of Herbs, by Dr. Vasant Lad